U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Hearing

Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine: Implications for Religious Freedom

Wednesday, March 15, 2023
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM ET
Virtual

Hearing Transcript

Hearing Summary

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) held a virtual hearing on the Russian government’s religious freedom violations in Ukraine and Russia.

Since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the full-scale military invasion of Ukraine a year ago, Russian forces have committed numerous religious freedom and other related human rights violations in Ukraine, including the killing and torture of religious leaders and the destruction of countless houses of worship. Russian officials have repeatedly turned to antisemitic rhetoric and Holocaust distortion in an effort to justify the country’s groundless invasion. In the areas of Ukraine that Russia has occupied since 2014, its de facto authorities and proxies have imposed draconian laws to suppress religious communities such as the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, predominantly Muslim Crimean Tatars and Jehovah’s Witnesses. Meanwhile, in Russia, the state has continued to prosecute an ever-growing list of religious groups as so-called “extremists” for their peaceful religious activities and launched a ruthless campaign to silence civil society and independent media.

Witnesses identified Russia’s religious freedom violations, analyzed the invasion’s impact on religious freedom and other related human rights, and discussed recommendations for U.S. policy toward Russia.

Opening Remarks

• U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., Ranking Member of the U.S. Helsinki Commission
  Recorded Remarks
• Nury Turkel, Chair, USCIRF
  Written Remarks
• Abraham Cooper, Vice Chair, USCIRF
  Written Remarks
• Sharon Kleinbaum, Commissioner, USCIRF
  Written Remarks

Panel

• Dmytro Vovk, Visiting Associate Professor at Cardozo School of Law; member of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR)’s Panel of Experts on Freedom of Religion or Belief
  Written Testimony
• Rachel Denber, Deputy Director, Europe and Central Asia Division, Human Rights Watch
  Written Testimony
• Dennis Christensen, former religious prisoner of conscience imprisoned in Russia
  Written Testimony
• Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, Chief Rabbi and President of the Conference of European Rabbis; Exiled Chief Rabbi of Moscow
• Crimean Tatar activist 
  Written Testimony

Witness Biographies

This hearing is open to Members of Congress, congressional staff, the public, and the media. Members of the media should register online and can email [email protected] for any questions or to schedule an interview. The video recording of the hearing will be posted on the Commission website. For any additional questions, please email Danielle Ashbahian at [email protected] or (202) 702-2778.
 

2023 Annual Report:
Key Findings and Recommendations

Monday, May 1, 2023
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM ET
Event to open at 8:30 AM ET
Congressional remarks to begin at 8:40 AM ET

Virtual

The 2023 Annual Report documents systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom that have occurred in the last year, and provides recommendations to the U.S. government intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief abroad.

The report also highlights important global developments and trends related to religious freedom during 2022, including in countries that do not meet the criteria of a "country of particular concern" (CPC) or Special Watch List (SWL). These include, for example, transnational repression and influence by religious freedom violators, laws restricting religious freedom, emerging religious freedom concerns in other countries, and other key developments.

This year’s report features new and many repeated actionable recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief abroad.

Opening Remarks

• Nury Turkel, Chair, USCIRF
• Abraham Cooper, Vice Chair, USCIRF

This event is open to Members of Congress, congressional staff, the public, and the media. For any additional questions or interview requests, please contact [email protected].